


Waiting, Hoping, Loving You

by FactorialRabbits



Series: The Miles To Go Before We Sleep [3]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Fourth Age, Reunions, Valinor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 12:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17960714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FactorialRabbits/pseuds/FactorialRabbits
Summary: It had been 500 years since Celebrían had been close enough to her husband to feel him, but now, finally, he is coming to her.





	Waiting, Hoping, Loving You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for B2MEM 2019. Prompt filled: Reunion in Valinor.
> 
> In terms of series chronology, this likely comes about 4th to last. Just there is not a lot of parts yet.

Celebrían awoke with a start. It was still dark outside, that much was easy to tell, and there was no obvious reason to be awake… The night was still, all was calm, she was not at home but she was somewhere familiar - one of her grandfather’s guest bedroom - and Elrond’s presence was present in the back of her mind. Wait...

Oh.

OH.

Celebrían sat up with a start and a brighter laugh than she had given of late. She then shuffled out of bed, grabbed her dressing gown and ran towards her grandparents room.

The guards on the door let her past without question, likely assuming a very different cause at her speed so early. As she entered the room, grandfather-Finarfin awoke with a start and grandmother-Eärwen stirred much more slowly.

“Celebrían? What is wrong?” her grandfather was already getting out of bed as he asked.

She threw herself at him, hugging him without the reserve she usually gave him. The tears welled up in her eyes, and she bit back a sob of joy, “my Elrond! I can feel my Elrond again!”

Finarfin picked her up and sat her on the bed beside Eärwen, who was just pulling herself to a sitting position.

“That is wonderful news, my dear. He is coming, then?” Eärwen’s voice was still full of sleep, though she gave Celebrían a small smile.

Celebrían nodded, “he must be! My husband is coming to me!”

“How far is he?” Finarfin asked, an arm still looped around her waist.

She concentrated for a few moments, before shaking her head, “he is too far away to tell…”

“In which case, try get some more sleep,” the smile was gentle, and put Celebrían more in mind of her father than her mother. “There will be time to prepare come morning.”

“You may as well sleep with us now,” Eärwen shuffled over to give Celebrain a comfortable amount of space.

She would have objected, she even began to do so, before realising that in her excitement she had twisted and irked ancient injuries. So instead Celebrían smiled and curled up between her mother’s parents.

They were not nearly close enough for it to work, but Celebrían still pushed a little of her love along her marital bond.

* * *

It was late in the day, nearly a week later, that Elrond became close enough to communicate more than just feeling each other, as Celebrían was finishing the last of the letters informing the necessary people of this development. She knew the moment, for it was when her love was returned.

But it was not just love she felt when he pressed back. She could tell that he was trying to just send the love, but with it came aching sorrow, biting pain, and a bone-deep weariness. It was so familiar and foreign that she began to cry again, reaching out her emotions to try and cradle her husband in gentle affection. She tried to ask what had upset him so, and he replied with only the thought of telling her with words.

“My Lady? Is something wrong?” a nearby servant asked of her.

She shook her head but continued to sob. A few minutes later Eärwen arrived with two cups of calming tea.

Celebrain looked up at her, ignoring the offered tea, “my Elrond… He is hurting. He is hurting so much.”

Eärwen pulled up a chair, “it is the way of the Noldor to return in pain… But he is returning; he will heal in time.”  
Celebrían nodded and looked to her tea, ignoring the lingering pain in her limbs and the pain in her law-parent’s souls - indisputable proof that not everything could be healed, even here.

“It will be well, my dear,” Eärwen promised. “All will be well.”

* * *

Finally, the day arrived. Most of those who had been informed of Elrond’s impending arrival had elected to wait at one of the local taverns, giving him a chance reunite with his wife first.

Finarfin as King of the Noldor had been unable to come, but Eärwen stood with Celebrían.

Celebrían pushed that thought aside, pushing her way through the people there to help with the boat or to meet the other travellers. Spying her husband standing at the prow with a vaguely familiar but unknown elf, she waved and waved.

He looked as exhausted as his presence felt, but upon noticing her he smiled and waved. She stood there, leaning heavily on her cane as she waited impatiently for the ship to come in and people to disembark.

Her mother was one of the first people to get off, and her husband one of the last. The result of which was her missing seeing her husband walk the gangplank due to being engulfed in a hug from her mother.

Eventually Eärwen stole Celebrían’s mother away, leaving only Elrond to take Celebrían’s attention. He was waiting, hands clasped behind his back and rigid before her, “Celebrían, I-”

She did not care for his words. She threw herself at him, forcing him to catch her into a hug. For a while she just clung to him, before pulling back and kissing him hungrily.

It was the kiss that finally broke them both to tears.

“I missed you,” he whispered through them as the kiss ended. “I love you so much.”

“I love you,” she replied him, her own tears getting in the way. “I missed you so much.”

Then they smiled and Elrond laughed and lent in to kiss her again.

And everything was finally alright.


End file.
